Safety-stop for automatic pistols.



J., H; WESSON.

SAFETY STOP FOB AUTOMATIC PISTOL-S.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 18 1909.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

INVENTOR.

AfTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. iivnssoit'or srnmermrn, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY-STOP FOR AUTOMATIC PISTOLS.

safety device for automatic pistols, the object of the invention being, broadly, to providea safety device which requires an act 0154 volition, at the moment of firing, on the part of the person using the arm, to set the-safety device in operative position to allow the haimnerfto fall on the firingpin, and it must be borne inmindthat this particular characteristic distinguishes this safety devicefrom those which are merely capable of being set by the ope 'ator prior to firing the arm, or from these which are automatically set by the act of grasping the butt of the pistol.

' The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings as applied to awell known type of automatic pistol though its use is not confined to that type or even to any automatic pistol, since any one skilledinthe art might 9. ply it to self-cocking or other revolvers, if dcsired. I

In the drawings forming part of thisapplication,l igure l of thedrawings shows an [LlllJ0ll'l2ll'lC=] .')lSl'.0l having the invention applied thereto, a. part of the cheek-piece of the grip being broken awa to more clearly show the various parts of the safety -device,theextension of the trigger within Jthe frame bcingshoivn in dotted lines. Fig. 2is a view. similar l'OF'lg. 1 showing the breech-block and barrel 1'emo\'ed,-L t'l e frame being shown partly in verti alfsec- 1011; the hammer being shown at. full" cock with the safety device set in position for Fig: 3 is similar to the View shown li ig'l except that the frame is shown in side elevation and the positionof the safety lever or pawl is shown whereby the safety deviecs shown in Fig. 9- are actuated to. bring them to a. position which willfpermit the'rfiring of the arm. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the hammer at full cook, but showing the safe device in such position as te -lock both tie hammer and the trig er, the position of theactuatingarm' fort es'e safety devices being shown Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 18,.1908. Serial No. 503,032.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

in dotted lines, and in the same position as thatfsho'wn in Fig. 1 in full lines.

Referring now to these drawings, a indie oates the frame of the arm, 6 the hammer, c the trigger having a flat, rearwardly extending portion d, thetrig er having a sliding movement back and orth againstthe tension of the trigger-spring c instead of a pivotal movement.

7' indicates the sear, g-the sear-spring, 7).

the main spring, and interposed between this and-the hammer is a plunger through the medium ofwhich the energy of the main spring h 1s imparted to the han'nner,

The hammer b is pivoted at m in the frame, and in common with other arms of this type is retracted to thefull cocked posi- -t1on shown in Fig. 2- bv the rearward movementof the sliding breech-block 0, Fig. l, which movement is imparted at the moment of explosion of a cartridge, as is well known. Further detailed description of the automatic action of the pistol is unnecessary as it forms no part of the invention.

The hammcnb is provided with a spur p which, when the han'nner is thrown back to full cock, swings through a slot milled transversely of the rotatable safety stud 1. This stud i and the hammer with the spur thereon, has been shown and described. in. prior patents as a means for locking the hammer in full cocked position, the stud 7 to'l asa separate act prior to, and'distinct from, the actof firing, and whereby the pistol may be rendered. either operative or 111- operative until-such timeas by another sep- 1 arate act, andseparate from the act of firing,

the adjustment of the safety devices may be againchanghd; but the present, invention involves" a construction which requires at the moment of firing, or just prior thereto, a separate and distinct act on the part of the operator, whereby the parts inustbe held in r a certain position which-will make it possible to fire the arm, which parts, when ,released, return automatically to a? position plunger 7.

which renders the firing I mechanism of the arm ino erative. .In the resent lnventlon,

' the stu 1- is provided with ahead on the ..'outside of the frame, as shown in Figs. 1

and 3 which head is rovided with a number -o gear-teeth, wit which similar teeth- :on'theen'd of a thumb-levers mesh. This lever e is ivotallysup ortedon the frame, as at t, it-is pro I ed with-a downward extension '1; havinga slot w therein parallel with the thumb-lever throngwhich a pin w extends. which is-secured m the end of a l'atch levei" or'pawl 3 pivotally supported at 3 on the'trigger extension d, The latch- '.leve'r or pawl y, as sh'ow'nm F1gs.2, 3,'and

4 particularly, has a shoulder 4 thereon which en ages with a like shoulder 5 on. the frame. he normal position of the lever s is that shown in Fig. 1, and in that position,

the safety-stud "r is so positioned rotatively,

as-to bring the 5 ur p on the hammer out of registration wit the groove g on the stud,

thus absolutel locking the hammer in safety osition, and y means of the in w, in. the

atch-l'ever or (pawl 31, the shou der 4 on the latteris .raise into engaging position with the shoulder 5 on the frame. The thumblevers, therefore, 0 erates the safety device .for the hammer'an for the trigger simultaneously, and the depression. 0 will eifeet the release of bpth the hammer and the trigger simultaneously. To pro-. v ide'forthe easy manipulation of the thumbi S8 E a spring plunger 7 (which is carried 'in the 40 cheek-piece 8 ofthe butt in this instance) lever a, .a broad lmurledbearing for the th' nib is provided on the outside of said lev'erfas indlcatedby. 6.. To always main tain' that is, the position shown in Fig. 1,

bears against the lower end of the projection ul-on the thumb-lever a, normally pressing the latter upward. An other form of spring against which .the ever a maybe actuated would serve as well as the spring If it is desired to rely solely on the rotatable stud r as a safety devicefor the pistol,

the latch-leverg may be omitted, or, if de -pawl y might be sired, the latch-lever or used to block the trigger, and the rotatable stud .r omitted: or either of these locking devices might be changed, but whatever their form they fnust be capable of actuation byv the person using the arm by an act of the" will separate and distinct. 'fromany act which is merely incidental to, upon, the act'of graspin the arm, an one which must be performe while the arm bein'gjheld in readiness for firing.

In main or conse uent etydevice of the character herein ".descri'xgd when they-pistol is rasped'and pre'sen ed inthe act; firing, .t a one using J5 l tqi'iustgbythe use'of the thumb against the spur pshoul this lever e lever .8 in its normal position of said mer, and a manually 1s" .a pistol or other firearm equippedprojection 6, depress the lever s and thus rotate the stud r to release the hammer, and simultaneously s ring down the latch lever or pawl 3 to re ease the trigger before the arm can be discharged, and as soon as the pressure of-the thumb is removed from the ever a, the stud 1' to block the hammer an 3 into engagement with the notch 5 on the frame. he mechanism of the arm is thus locked-against accidental manipulation at the spring 7 will immediatel rotate simultaneously spring up the latch-lever or pawl two difierentdpoints, and if for example, the

be broken 0 of the hammer, it would in no wise derange the eflicientlocking of the trigger by means of the latch-lev'er or pawl and, on the other hand, if for any'reason t is last named lever should become inoperative, then, might be pulled, and the sear disen aged from the hammer, the latter could not.%e released'untilthe stud 1* had been rotated.

although the trigger Furthermore, it will; be observed that this safety device can not be so actuated as. to

set permanently the hammer and the tri .ger-locking elements in a' osition to permlt .the arm to be fired, but t ese two elements must be held in inoperative position, at the moment the trigger 1s actuated to discharge the arm.

Wherever the word er is used herein it is i'ntended-to des1gnate either the thumb or finger.

What I claim, is

1. In a firing mechanism .for fire-arms, the combination with the. trig er, the hammer, and the sear, of a safety evice comprising separate locking means for the trigger and for the hammer, and: operating means ineluding a lever controlled independently of the trigger, for'simultaneously. freeing the separate locking means tope'rmit the opera tion of the triggers '2. In a firing mechanism for firearms, the

combination with the trig er, the hammer, and the, sear, of-means for ocking the hammer comprising a rotatable stud, means for locking the trigger against operative move,-

' inent, and a lever adapted to actuate the said locking means simultaneously to release-boththe hammer and the trigger.

3.- .In'afirin mecha'msm for fire arms, the

combination with the frame,,the trigger, the

sear, and the hammer, of an element carried by said trigger for locking engagement with 12 0- frame, an element mounted to nora stud carried by said frame to obstruct said I hammer and having an operative engagement with said pivoted device whereby to release said hammer, a pawl carried by said trlgger to normally lock the latter on said frame and operatively connected to said piv oted device to relrase said tri ger at the instant thatsaid hammer is un ocked.

5.- In a firin mechanism for fire arms, the combination with the frame, the trigger, the sear, and the hammer, of a manually operated device pivoted to the side of said frame, a pawl pivoted to said trigger, and formed to be locked against said frame, a in and slot connection between said pivote device and said pawl, a stud carried by said frame for rotary movement, a spur carried by said hammer to be, locked behind .said stud, a rack and pinion connection between said pivoted device and said stud, and means to normally maintain said pivoted device upraised to hold said trigger and said hammer'in locked position. I

6. In a firing mechanism for fire arms, the combination'with the frame, the trigger, the scar and the hammer,'of a manually operated device pivoted to the side of said frame, a pawl pivotally carried by said trigger and formed to be locked against said frame, a downward extenslon formed on said pivoted device, a pin and slot connection operatively joining said extension and said pawl, and spring actuated means bearing against said extension to normally hold said ivoted device upraised, whereby said paw is held in engagement with said frame.

'7. In a firin mechanism for fire arms, the

combination with the frame, the trigger, the

sear and the hammer, of a manually operated device ivoted to the side ofthe said frame, a stud mounted transversely through said frame for rotary movement in thepath of said hammer, means provided ,on said stud to permit the movement of said hammer in said path, a toothed element carried by said stud, teeth formed on the rear end of said pivoted device in engagement 'With said toothed element, and spring actuated means bearing on said pivotedfdevice' to cause the latter to normally obstruct the path of said hammer.

Witnesses Q a K. I. CLEMons, HARRY W. BownN.

JOSEPH H. WESSON. 

